# The Ācāryas *On the great teachers in disciplic succession* --- ### Need of Ācāryas > Therefore, there is need of ācāryas, teachers, for propagating spiritual knowledge, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura was... Although he was a gṛhastha, householder, a government officer, magistrate, but he was ācārya. So from his dealings, from his life, we should learn how one can become a preacher in any stage of life. It doesn't matter what he is. — [[spoken/1971/710903ba.lon|Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's Appearance Day Lecture, London, 1971]] --- ### Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's Example > So this Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura was gṛhastha, very responsible officer, magistrate. And he was so exalted that he would come from his office generally at five o'clock, then take his supper and immediately go to bed. And he wakes up at twelve o'clock. So suppose he goes to bed at seven o'clock in the evening and wakes up at twelve o'clock at night; it is sufficient sleep, five hours. And he used to write books. He wrote..., he left behind him about one hundred books. — [[spoken/1971/710903ba.lon|Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's Appearance Day Lecture, London, 1971]] --- ### Reintroduced Disciplic Succession > This Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's birthday, we should adore, we should worship, because in the modern age he reintroduced the disciplic succession. From Caitanya Mahāprabhu... Five hundred years ago, Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught this philosophy, but within two hundred years... Because this material world is so made that whatever you introduce, in due course of time it will deteriorate. — [[spoken/1971/710903ba.lon|Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's Appearance Day Lecture, London, 1971]] --- ### Simply by Blessings > Ācārya-upāsanā: simply by the blessings of ācāryas we can make very rapid progress. Vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau. We sing every day. By the mercy of the spiritual master, ācārya, we immediately get the blessings of Lord. Immediately. — [[spoken/1971/710903ba.lon|Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's Appearance Day Lecture, London, 1971]] --- ### Householder Can Be Ācārya > So anyone can become guru. Not that a sannyāsī can become guru. A householder also can become guru, provided he knows the science. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, kibā vipra, kibā śūdra, nyāsi kene naya, yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vetta, sei guru haya: "Anyone who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa, he can become a guru." — [[spoken/1971/710903ba.lon|Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's Appearance Day Lecture, London, 1971]] --- ### Does Not Depend on Position > So spiritual science does not belong to the bodily platform. It is on the spiritual platform. Just like when you go to a lawyer or to an engineer or to a physician, you do not inquire whether he's a brāhmaṇa or śūdra. Simply you have to know whether he's a lawyer. That's all. Similarly, your business is to understand Kṛṣṇa. So anyone who knows Kṛṣṇa perfectly, you have to go there. — [[spoken/1971/710903ba.lon|Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's Appearance Day Lecture, London, 1971]] --- ### Bhaktivinoda's Fearlessness > So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura first of all said, "Sir, you are such a great yogī. Why you are in the village? Why don't you go to Jagannātha Purī?" "Oh, Jagannātha? Ah, that is made of wood. I am personally the Supreme Lord." Oh, then Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura—he was a devotee—he became fire. He was insulting. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura immediately ordered his constables, "Arrest him. Arrest this rascal." — [[spoken/1971/710903ba.lon|Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's Appearance Day Lecture, London, 1971]] --- ### Pure Devotee's Determination > His wife became very much disturbed that "You arrested Viṣṇu, and we are all going to die. We have got now high fever." Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura replied, "Yes, let us all die, but this rascal must be punished." This is the view of pure devotee. — [[spoken/1971/710903ba.lon|Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's Appearance Day Lecture, London, 1971]] --- ### Every Ācārya Gives Something > So ācārya paramparā, disciplic succession. Every ācārya means he gives some special things. Previous ācārya has given, and the next ācārya gives something more. That is the symptom of ācārya. — [[spoken/1971/710903ba.lon|Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's Appearance Day Lecture, London, 1971]] --- ### May Bless Us > So our adoration, our worship to Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura today, because he may bless us to make peacefully progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. — [[spoken/1971/710903ba.lon|Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's Appearance Day Lecture, London, 1971]] --- *10 quotes from Śrīla Prabhupāda on the ācāryas* [[wiki/quotes|Back to Quotes]]